What is your favorite Desktop PowerPC Mac?

[bunnspecial]

I hate the new forum software bringing all these old threads up to the top, as it's virtually a daily thing anymore.

It's fun to read back through the "old days" when @eyoungren didn't have a Quicksilver and now his computer is the stuff of legends

Speaking for myself, when this thread was started I only owned one Mac, a late 2011 Macbook Pro that I bought new in March 2012. It was before I went a little nuts(or a lot nuts, as some here might say) on PowerPC computers.

I have at least one example of every "G" series computer, both desktop and laptop(including the elusive G3 Kanga) with the exception of two. I don't have an xServe G4 or an iMac G5. Not only that, but I've gotten into sub-variants. I consider there to be 8 variants of the G4 tower, and have multiple examples of each of them in various processor speeds.

It's hard to pick a favorite of all of these.

I have a Quicksilver(factory dual 1ghz) that I use pretty heavily and also use a G5 Quad at work some.

The G3 AIO is a nice, quirky machine that I really enjoy using.

I have a Cube set up on my desk, and it's a fun little computer for running OS 9 games. The one I use for that has an 800mhz/2mb Sonnet L3 upgrade and a Geforce 3. I have a bunch of other Cubes, and enjoy using all, but that one is just a great little combination of specs and works great for real-world use.

My dual 1.42 MDD is the fastest G4 I've used, and it's what I really should be using in place of the Quicksilver. In real world use, it's faster than the dual 1.8 Sonnet I have. The only thing I could really see giving it competition would be a dual 1.8 7448-based upgrade.

The iMac G3 is a timeless classic, and the G4 is as much so.

 

[eyoungren]

Yeah, apparently this thread is where getting that "legendary" Quicksilver started.

Would it surprise anyone to know that I consider this Mac as my test pancake?

I spent way more time with it than I ever considered I would to hammer out what was necessary to get what I wanted. Now even the small minute tweaks are done and there's another thread here that shows where I went back and cleaned up the inside (all the experimentation caused a mess).

The next G4 or G3, whatever they are will benefit from what I have learned and I won't have to be so hacksaw and power drill happy about it.

That said, I'm very happy with how it all turned out. The Mac still has it's peculiarities but that's only because I operate the damn thing at the edge of it's envelope and quite well beyond what Apple ever intentioned.

 

[Majoris]

I choose from the list of ppc computers the powermac g5. Obviously because of its form factor. Being a beastly workstation. But, the underdog and most efficient to me is the powerbook g4. I have MorphOS installed on it. Runs like it was design for it. Being that MorphOS only uses 1cpu. The seamless integration goes unnoticed and feels like a official amiga laptop.

 

[akator]

In our home the iMac G4 17" is the favorite. We have the same one since 2003 and it's still running well (knock on wood). These days I mostly use it as a music player, but it occasionally gets used for gaming and emulation.

A close second is our G4 mini. It also still gets used for gaming and emulation. Tiger looks great at 1920x1080 resolution.

 

[Johnny365]

There was a G3 Cube?!

 

[happyfrappy]

There was a G3 Cube, you slid the iMac Trayloader logicboard tray out and attached it into the 3rd party iCube or iRack case... it was a pre-Mac mini server solution with dual PSUs with a breakout for a 2nd HDD in place of the optical drive connector(it was sold in 2U & 3U formats for redundant PSU)

PowerMac G4/G5 is the ideal desktop if expansion is necessary but I won't touch a MDD "Wind-Tunnel" no matter how cheap they've become as the power supplies on them were prone to noise/rapid failure. Rewiring an ATX PSU for a G4 at this point is a requirement due to age but I'd be afraid of the mobo condition as capacitors might need replacing too.

 

[Dronecatcher]

I have MorphOS installed on it. Runs like it was design for it.

Would love to see some screenshots and reports on how it handles the web/video/audio etc

 

[chip1]

I am surprised to see so many votes on imac g4.

I casted my vote to iMac G3.

 

[mlovergaard]

I am surprised to see so many votes on imac g4.

I casted my vote to iMac G3.

While I do love my iMac G3, there is just something special about the design of the G4, to this day I still think it is one of the best looking iMacs. And I still use mine on a daily basis.

 

[MysticCow]

I am surprised to see so many votes on imac g4.

I casted my vote to iMac G3.

It's the design factor. I even have a soft spot for the iMac G4, even though it's a bear to work on compared to other systems. Trust me, I'd still take an iMac G4 and use it today even the first generation of them.

Seriously, the iMac G3 was the computer that single-handedly saved Apple from the dustbin of history. I'm kind of surprised it doesn't have more votes. It LOOKED like a system you'd want to have in your home and one that you'd want to proudly display. It was only AFTER the iMac G3 that Apple did the Yosemite G3 tower (which also was the form factor for the G4's). Apple today would not be in existence were it not for the iMac G3.

 

[eyoungren]

It's the design factor. I even have a soft spot for the iMac G4, even though it's a bear to work on compared to other systems. Trust me, I'd still take an iMac G4 and use it today even the first generation of them.

Seriously, the iMac G3 was the computer that single-handedly saved Apple from the dustbin of history. I'm kind of surprised it doesn't have more votes. It LOOKED like a system you'd want to have in your home and one that you'd want to proudly display. It was only AFTER the iMac G3 that Apple did the Yosemite G3 tower (which also was the form factor for the G4's). Apple today would not be in existence were it not for the iMac G3.

I think a lot of that includes design schools. Let me explain…

At the time I actually pursued a Multimedia Certificate (1999) the G3 was just breaking into the design school I went to. That school had previously had nothing but Mac IIvx's or late era Performa/Quadras. The G3 wiped the floor and sprouted like weeds. They were everywhere. Design schools I attended in 2000-2003 still had them but by this time they were running OS X.

I can only imagine how ubiquitous they managed to become in public elementary, middle and high schools. Inexpensive, self-contained and reliable.

I think that's probably why Apple went with the eMac G4 to continue this trend. Unfortunately, that happened at the tail end of things so never really seemd to take off.

I'm not saying that schools single handedly saved Apple by purchasing the iMac, but I do think it had a large part in it.

The schools I attended were only a small representation of what I know had to be a movement in many schools across the entire country.

 

[MysticCow]

I think that's probably why Apple went with the eMac G4 to continue this trend. Unfortunately, that happened at the tail end of things so never really seemd to take off.

I think part of the eMac's less than great release was that it was during Apple's "all white, all right" phase. Look at what Apple offered during that time:

QuickSilver G4 (it's white enough even though it's really silvery)
iMac G4 (white)
iBook (white)
eMac (white)
PowerBook (metal)

I understand it's cheaper to produce one color and still remember the evil of the "black tax" on the original MacBooks. However, I really loved the colorful ones. Now you're seeing a slight comeback of the colors with the new MacBooks, however sucky they truly are. Here's hoping we get more colors.

 

[macgeek18]

PowerMac G4 Quicksilver. It was my first G4 Mac and my first "modern" Mac. I love it to death.

 

[Majoris]

Would love to see some screenshots and reports on how it handles the web/video/audio etc

Mplayer handles 720p with ease. Alot of games are supported and ported. EAU-JIT(as os x leopard have one as well). But runs faster on the powerbook g4. Uses webkit for browser. Just think of it as a cheaper OS4 that is better optimized for the hardware.

 

[Bug-Creator]

a) either replace your clock battery or run setclockntp

b) 3.0 ???

 

[oi!]

There was a G3 Cube, you slid the iMac Trayloader logicboard tray out and attached it into the 3rd party iCube or iRack case... it was a pre-Mac mini server solution with dual PSUs with a breakout for a 2nd HDD in place of the optical drive connector(it was sold in 2U & 3U formats for redundant PSU)

PowerMac G4/G5 is the ideal desktop if expansion is necessary but I won't touch a MDD "Wind-Tunnel" no matter how cheap they've become as the power supplies on them were prone to noise/rapid failure. Rewiring an ATX PSU for a G4 at this point is a requirement due to age but I'd be afraid of the mobo condition as capacitors might need replacing too.

I've run an MDD for something like 10 years now, maybe I've just been lucky, but I've never had a PSU die on me so far.
Admittedly a motherboard died, and Hush Puppy does still have unresolved issues.

That said, and as much as I like the wind tunnel MDD, I admit it is a little noisy. Especially with stock fans.
I love the 4 pointless little vents (kinda wish they did something), I love the mirror drive doors, and the rounded blobby case design.

Mine is capable of most things I ask of it (except faultless stability, like I said - 'issues').

Wish it played blu-ray's.
Wish it was faster (a Nerwer Technowlegy dual 1.8Ghz would be nice, and are even now way outside my price range!)
Wish it could handle more ram.
Wish I had a better graphics card (I'd like a Gainward Bliss 7800GS).
Wish the SSD was bootable (still need to flash the SATA card).

 

[Majoris]

a) either replace your clock battery or run setclockntp

b) 3.0 ???

My laptop is sync throgh internet. It was disconnected so that why you have the Epoch Unix time. I'm using a old wallpaper. The current version is 3.9. Soon 3.10 is to come out. Also MorphOS also have flash working with webkit. So you can look at youtube. Also wifi works on the powerbook.

 

[MysticCow]

Mplayer handles 720p with ease. Alot of games are supported and ported. EAU-JIT(as os x leopard have one as well). But runs faster on the powerbook g4. Uses webkit for browser. Just think of it as a cheaper OS4 that is better optimized for the hardware.

It always shocks me how well MorphOS runs on PPC. It runs even better than OS X. Why Apple could never get this kind of speedy in OS X is beyond my comprehension sometimes (and then I remember each PPC version was likely a port of an x86 version).

 

[Majoris]

It always shocks me how well MorphOS runs on PPC. It runs even better than OS X. Why Apple could never get this kind of speedy in OS X is beyond my comprehension sometimes (and then I remember each PPC version was likely a port of an x86 version).

The mac mini perfoms up to par. With the powerbook. If you get the one with 1.5Ghz and 64VRAM. That is the best bang for your buck. System to run MorphOS.

 

[Bug-Creator]

I'm using a old wallpaper. The current version is 3.9. Soon 3.10 is to come out.

Been running 3.10 for close to a year now, and I hope it will take some more time as I won't get my stuff inside otherwise. According to tradition 3.11 will be bugfixes only, so I'd have to wait for 3.12

Also "flash working" ?? Apart from me not considering Flash to be "working" on any platform I'd say thats quite a stretch.

More like some websites can now be made working without flash, while others need a tiny bit of flash to get you to the flash-free content.

 

[Majoris]

Been running 3.10 for close to a year now, and I hope it will take some more time as I won't get my stuff inside otherwise. According to tradition 3.11 will be bugfixes only, so I'd have to wait for 3.12

Also "flash working" ?? Apart from me not considering Flash to be "working" on any platform I'd say thats quite a stretch.

More like some websites can now be made working without flash, while others need a tiny bit of flash to get you to the flash-free content.

Your running MorphOS 3.10? How? Because it's not on the download site. 3.9 is the current version.

 

[Bug-Creator]

Hint a) "been running it for close to a year now" aka. shortly after the public release of 3.9
Hint b) register at morph.zone and see if you can spot me
Hint c) your screenshot (post 64) features a component (re)written by yours truly

 

[grahamperrin]

Macintosh Server G4. Not exactly a desktop model but wonderfully crisp.

 

[Majoris]

Hint a) "been running it for close to a year now" aka. shortly after the public release of 3.9
Hint b) register at morph.zone and see if you can spot me
Hint c) your screenshot (post 64) features a component (re)written by yours truly

Okayyy. hey! kronos I'm rlitt01 over there. I love the community over there. I love snapIT reminds me a lot of scrot. I just did a reinstall because the chrysalis pack is a little slow. But a great source of what to install to get a lot of functionality for a beginner.

 

[Bug-Creator]

SnapIt -> not me
Panels (Dock) -> blame me

As for Chyrsalis, I'd recomend installing SW via Grunch instead much less bloaty and won't f##k up your system.